Monthly Archives: May 2019

The eerie view behind the main hall at Geumyongam Hermitage in Dongnae, Busan.

Hello Again Everyone!!

Geumyongam Hermitage is located on the southern slopes of Mt. Geumjeongsan (801.5m). The hermitage lies just east of the very busy Mandeok Tunnel on the far western part of Dongnae in central Busan.

Geumyongam Hermitage is situated up a small road after exiting the much larger and busier bend in the road along the first of Mandeok’s tunnels. The small hermitage’s road zigs and zags its way up the mountain, until you eventually come to the hermitage’s grounds. The first thing to greet you is a mature bamboo forest to your right and the hermitage’s kitchen and visitors centre to your left.

To the left rear of the main hall is a smaller sized shrine dedicated to Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). The stone statue of the Buddha is surrounded by a beautiful nimbus. There is another shrine, but it seems to have been taken down.

To the left of this former shrine, and next to a small mountain stream, you’ll find a set of stone stairs that leads up to the temple’s Sanshin/Chilseong-gak. Interestingly, there are two separate entries to this shaman shrine hall: the one to the right is for Chilseong (The Seven Stars), while the door to the left is meant for Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit). However, once you step inside this shaman shrine hall, you’ll notice that there is also a mural dedicated to Dokseong (The Lonely Saint) hanging on the far right wall. In the centre hangs a red mural of Chilseong. And to the far left, you’ll see a rather regal image of Sanshin. The exterior walls to the Sanshin/Chilseong-gak are adorned with beautiful floral and dragon paintings.

HOW TO GET THERE: From the Dongnae subway stop, Line 1, subway stop #125, you’ll need to go through exit #3 to get a taxi. From this station, it’ll take 7 minutes, or 3 kilometres, and cost 4,100 won.

OVERALL RATING: 4/10. Geumyongam Hermitage is beautifully located. It has an eerie feel to it because of the mature trees that surround and envelop the hermitage at times. The artwork in and around the hermitage grounds are beautiful including the Sanshin mural and the Shimu-do murals.

The road that leads up to Geumyongam Hermitage.

The mature bamboo forest along the way.

The main hall at Geumyongam Hermitage.The main altar inside the main hall with Gwanseeum-bosal seated all by herself.The temple Shinjung Taenghwa mural.A mural dedicated to Jijang-bosal inside the main hall.The Bodhidharma mural that adorns one of the interior walls of the main hall.

A painted screen that also adorns one of the interior main hall walls.

Just outside the main hall at Geumyongam Hermitage.

A shrine dedicated to Seokgamoni-bul just to the rear of the main hall.

I guess this was once a shrine.

A look at the a pair of Shimu-do murals, as well as a fish wind chime and intricate latticework.

The pathway that leads up to the Sanshin/Chilseong-gak.A better look at the Sanshin/Chilseong-gak.This dragon mural adorns one of the exterior walls to the shaman shrine hall.

A painting of a magnolia tree in bloom that also adorns the shaman shrine hall.

The mural of Chilseong that hangs inside the shaman shrine hall.To the right hangs this dour painting of Dokseong.And to the left hangs this regal image of Sanshin.The view from the Sanshin/Chilseong-gak.